“We’re either going to construct it or we’re not going to construct it,” he told WLWT News 5's John London on Monday.

Dohoney drew a parallel with Cincinnati’s unfinished subway system as concerns about potential future cost overruns to build the streetcar are growing.

“As a community, we have to decide is this something we want or do we want to put this with the subway and then talk about it for the next hundred years on what we didn’t get done,” Dohoney said.

The manager will go in front of City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee this afternoon to respond to questions elected leaders have about his options to close a $17.4 million funding gap.

Among those armed with questions: longtime streetcar supporter Roxanne Qualls, the city’s Vice Mayor and a candidate for the Mayoral election this fall.

“The consistent escalation of cost is becoming very problematic,” said Qualls.She characterized today’s session as “an important conversation.”

When pressed on whether the project is in jeopardy, Qualls stated “I think that it raises a lot of questions, yes.”

Qualls, Laure Quinlivan and Yvette Simpson are the three council members considered by most observers to vote in favor of additional funding. Charlie Winburn, Chris Smitherman and P G Sittenfeld are the three “no” vote absolutes.

With a majority of five needed for passage, the other two votes would come from the middle trio of Chris Seelbach, Pam Thomas and Wendell Young.

All have questions they want answered before committing one way or the other by the end of the month.

“It’s likely we’ll have other cost overruns,” according to Young. “So the question becomes where is the money going to come from?”

Young took pains to point out he remains a streetcar supporter, describing himself as “a sponge”at the moment to take in as much information as possible.

He referred to the extension of New York City’s subway and Boston’s Big Dig as examples of major projects that incur cost overruns.

Young doesn’t know if it’s accurate to suggest the project is in jeopardy.

But already, Qualls is asking about the total cost of moving utility lines. “So that if we were to stop the streetcar now,” she said Monday, “then later on in the future decide that it was time to do it again, that the utility relocation would be completed?”

That’s one of the detailed areas Dohoney will be asked about this afternoon. He has stated to stop the project now would result in the loss of $72 million to the community.

“We would lose far more than we’d gain if we stopped,” Dohoney concluded.

Qualls indicated there would be no vote Monday, but she remains insistent that a decisive vote come before the end of the month.

A CLEAR AND CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ABOUT THE STREETCAR TODAY... STRAIGHT FROM THE CITY MANAGER... WITHOUT AN EXTRA $17 MILLION.... THAT TRAIN WON'T RUN. WLWT NEWS 5'S JOHN LONDON.... IS LIVE ALONG THE ROUTE TO EXPLAIN... MILTON DOHONEY IS ESSENTIALLY SAYING WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL $17.4 MILLION... YOU CAN STICK A FORK IN THE STREETCAR ... IT SETS THE STAGE FOR A MONUMENTAL DECISION WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. Along Vine's newly-renovated slice of the inner-city Local shops like Pet Wants continue to track the viability of the struggling Streetcar. Chelle Hobbs co-owns the business. While tending to twelve week-old Knox, she minces no words about seeing the Streetcar through. (Michelle Hobbs - Co-owner, Pet Wants) ("This is the future of the city right here.") She says these steps -- back in the days of horse-drawn wagons -- probably had cost critics, too. As concerns about future overruns grew today Top city leaders huddled and talked, reflecting the serious tone of the situation. (Milton Dohoney - City Manager) ("As a community, we have to decide is this something we want or do we want to put this with the subway and then talk about it for the next hundred years on what we didn't get done?") Even longtime streetcar advocates like the Vice Mayor have overruns in their sights. (Roxanne Qualls - Vice Mayor) ("It's an important conversation today.") (voice of John London) ("Does it put the project in jeopardy?") ("I think that it raises a lot of questions, yes.") The questions covered enough ground today to match the 3.5 mile route of phase one. But, Chris Smitherman's stood out. If future overruns can't be ruled out and if $17.4 million additional is needed now to save the Streetcar... Is Council being asked for a blank check? (Milton Dohoney at Council) ("It would not be a blank check where we could go and spend unlimited money...") But, Dohoney could not specify where that line is. To the place Chelle Hobbs has invested in ... (slides bag of dog food across counter) ("Good to go?") ("I'm good, thanks a lot.") ("Thank you, have a good one.") ("Same to you.") The line is moveable ... (Michelle Hobbs) ("We're building transportation. Economical to people who don't want to use a vehicle, economical to businesses because it helps support new growth in the city... ") (Wendell Young - Cincinnati Council) ("When you look around the country at how these things go, they all have cost overruns ...") THE VISION HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO EVENTUALLY CONNECT THE DOWNTOWN LEG WITH U-C AND THE HOSPITALS... AS A STARTING POINT TO A CITYWIDE SYSTEM DECADES FROM NOW... THE FUTURE AFFORDABILITY OF THAT FACTORS INTO WHATEVER COUNCIL DECIDES THIS MONTH. REPORTING LIVE, JOHN LONDON, WLWT NEWS FIVE. WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK... WLWT NEWS 5 IS CONDUCTING A POLL, ASKING "WHICH OPTION DO YOU THINK... IS BEST FOR THE STREETCAR PROJECT..." FIND THE FUNDING ... SHORTEN THE ROUTE ... OR CANCEL THE PROJECT. HEAD TO WLWT DOT COM.... AND CAST YOUR VOTE...

The Obama administration will unveil a major climate change plan Monday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's coal-burning power plants, a senior administration official told CNN.